


After The Storm (Is When The Thorns Grow)

by virtuesangel



Category: Kirby (Video Games), Super Smash Brothers
Genre: Kirby Is Sad Because I Says So, Kirby is probably like 6-7 in human years during World Of Light, Let’s find out!, Shulk Is Trying His Best, Super Smash Brothers Ultimate: World Of Light, What kind of effect would having all your friends die have on you at 6?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2018-11-03
Packaged: 2019-08-16 20:35:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16502261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/virtuesangel/pseuds/virtuesangel
Summary: It’s all over. Kirby saved the day and the Smashers are safe, and now the Ultimate tournament can begin!But, a certain pink puffball isn’t completely over the events of the past month.





	After The Storm (Is When The Thorns Grow)

No one likes to talk about what happened on that fateful day. Nobody remembers most of what happened anyways, the memories repressed and forgotten until another day. 

Except for Kirby.

Kirby remembers everything in vivid, colorful detail. 

They remember the desperate look on Sonic’s face as they tried in vain to save Pikachu from the gaining beams.

The panic in Villager’s eyes.

The shaking of the Inkling’s hands as they shot their ink to the ground and tried to hide from their oncoming demises.

_Everything._

And it’s slowly eating away at them. The lights, the emptiness of the Spirit Dimension.. It was a lot for poor Kirby to take in. Yes, they’ve done many things like this, but.. There was never that much hopelessness. That much despair. It was nothing like Void Termina or Zero or Magolor. It was.. 74 people they were close to being annihilated in seconds with no chance of escape. That’s a lot for a child to go through. A young, moldable child.. 

Shulk couldn’t bear it. He wished he was able to do something about the Seraph before it had even done anything.. His vision came too late, he knows, but it still hurt to think he could’ve done something to take this pain from Kirby. Speaking of Kirby, there they were, dragging that same stuffed animal down the hall (Was that to make them feel less lonely?). He kneels down in front of them. 

“Hey, Kirby.. You feeling any better today?” Shulk asks, trying to keep his voice cheerful. If he sounded upset, that would not help Kirby’s mood at all. But Kirby’s mood did not seem to be helped anyways, as they just dropped their plush and stared at Shulk, boring through Shulk with their sad, blue eyes.. Some said that you could see the stars in Kirby’s eyes, but they were all dull now.

“Hug? Poyo, hug..?” Kirby sticks out their little paws, reaching for Shulk. Shulk could feel his heart shatter. If that’s what Kirby wanted, then that’s what Kirby will get. It’s the least he could do for the puffball, after everything that happened. Shulk scoops Kirby up into his arms and holds them close, hoping to soothe them even a little. 

Though, the hug was exactly the opposite of what Kirby needed, even if they’d asked for it. The contact, just knowing that Shulk wasn’t a spirit and that he was _real_.. Overloaded Kirby. They started shaking, drawing in panicked breaths, unable to move out of their place. Shulk noticed almost instantly and put the puffball back down, looking at them with concern.

“Kirby? Are you okay? Hey, there’s no need to cry, it’s okay..” Shulk didn’t want to hug Kirby again, that most likely wouldn’t make things better. He instead held their paws and swung them up and down to try and cheer them up. It worked with human babies, maybe it would work with puffball babies too? Shulk was incorrect in this theory, as Kirby pulled their paws away to cover their eyes, beginning to sob out loud. This was not good. Other smashers were starting to catch on. Zelda is the next to join the group, crouching down and trying to console Kirby by petting the top of their head.

“It’s alright, Kirby..” Zelda didn’t know exactly what was going on, but she had a feeling it was about the Seraph. Poor thing. Kirby moved their paws for a moment to see who was petting them, and their crying only worsened with seeing that it was Zelda. They hopped to their feet, grabbed their plushie and hurried off, presumably to be in their room. Leaving a very confused group of Smashers. Shulk was the first to speak.

“They asked for a hug, but when I hugged them they started freaking out.. I’m not sure why.” Shulk said, still somewhat in a state of shock. 

“Kirby’s been acting very differently indeed. I’m sure the Seraph incident would affect any of us, but.. Kirby’s just a child. I do hope that they don’t suffer this way for much longer.” Bayonetta said. Meta Knight sees the crowd, and walks towards it in confusion. 

“What’s going on here? Did something happen?” Meta Knight asks. A silence hangs over the crowd for a few moments. They weren’t sure if Meta would be angry or not. Eventually, Palutena speaks up.

“It was Kirby. They started freaking out over something, and then they ran off..” She said. Meta Knight seemed concerned. He knew all too well at this point about Kirby’s breakdowns. 

“Which way did they go?” Zelda points towards the hallway to Kirby’s room. Meta Knight nods as a thanks and heads in that direction. 

Meta Knight slowly opens the door.. And is heartbroken by what he sees. Kirby, on their bed, curled around their plushie and bawling their eyes out in the dark. Meta steps towards the bed.

“Kirby? Are you alright? What happened back there?” Kirby hadn’t even noticed that Meta Knight came into their room until just then. They didn’t let go of their plushie, but they turned just enough to look at Meta.

“W-Wanted a hug, poy, a-a-and Shu-u-lk- he wa-a-wasn’t- p-poyo, a spi-i-irit..” Meta Knight’s heart ached for this sweet child. The pain they had to endure was too much for such a small child. 

“I know, we aren’t spirits anymore, Kirby. We’re real, the Seraph can’t hurt me or you or the other fighters anymore. You saved us, remember?.. Do you want a hug? Is it okay to touch you?” Kirby hesitated to reach out their paw to touch Meta Knight’s, to see if he was real, too. And he was. And Kirby’s crying only got worse at this realization, but.. They didn’t let go of Meta’s paw. Meta sighs and holds onto Kirby’s paw. This is the closest they’ve been able to get in weeks. At least some progress is being made. 

“Meta- poo-ooyo, it’s scary.. Y-You aren’t-“

“-A spirit. I know, Kirby. You saved all of us, and we aren’t spirits anymore. It’s okay that you don’t realize it now, but you are so incredibly brave and strong and we all love you, Kirby, and we want to help you in any way we can. Please, tell us what we can do to help you. Okay?” Meta Knight asks gently. Kirby doesn’t respond at first, but after a few moments of thinking, they finally spoke.

“I-I wanna- I wanna get bett-t-t-ter.. I don’t wanna- poy- be sad any—poyo, more..” Meta Knight’s heart breaks even further. But all he can do for Kirby is squeeze their paw in reassurance.

“We’ll all do anything we can to help you get better, Kirby. We love you- _I_ love you. Never forget that.” Meta Knight’s statement couldn’t be more true. The Smashers wanted nothing more than to help Kirby with this pain of theirs, but.. How to help someone who can’t be touched without having a meltdown?

“Love- poy, I love y-you..” That simple reassurance was enough for Meta Knight. That damned Seraph can’t take the purity of Kirby’s heart away, no matter how they try..

Kirby will always have love in their heart, even at their darkest moments.

**Author's Note:**

> Me? Writing something that isn’t Metadede? Wow. 
> 
> Also the ending isn’t Metakirby, if you think so get off my page lmao!!


End file.
